Ontario residents were inhaling 'bitterly cold air' from the Arctic this weekend

Ontario residents were breathing in arctic air this weekend, according to the Weather Network, a unique weather phenomenon that came to an end on Monday.

Forecast models showed “bitterly cold air” originating from the North Pole blowing over Ontario, the network said . “If you’ve stepped outside and taken a deep breath of that bitingly cold air, you’ve breathed in air that was recently at the top of the world.”

The air was tracked using a model developed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). It was created to monitor the trajectory of air pollution.

“Picture a parcel of air drifting in the wind like a balloon. Much like a flight tracking app on your phone, the model traced the path that air took from its point of origin several days ago,” the network explained.

The harsh Arctic air brought Toronto its coldest daytime reading since January 2019, with a high of -13.3 on Saturday. As of Feb. 8, the cold stretch in Ontario has lasted 22 days . Parts of Southern Ontario were under a yellow alert on Monday morning, according to Environment Canada, with wind chills of up to -35 expected. A yellow alert is when hazardous weather may cause damage, disruption, or health impacts. However, the alert was removed by mid-morning.

The blast of Arctic air came amid a record-breaking winter for Canadians living in Toronto. At the end of January, the downtown area received nearly 60 centimetres of snow, piling up over cars and blanketing streets. There was also whiteout conditions on the roads, with winds gusting up to 50 kilometres per hour.

The cold stretch is supposed to come to an end on Tuesday, when temperatures in parts of Ontario, including Toronto, are expected to be above zero.

The weather will be slightly warmer, but that means there will be “a burst of snow.” Parts of eastern Ontario, including Ottawa could get 10 to 15 centimetres by Wednesday, the network said .

Meanwhile, there are areas in the rest of the country that remain under Environment Canada’s yellow alerts. Parts of Newfoundland and Labrador are under a snowfall warning on Monday, while parts of the Northwest Territories, Nunavut and Yukon face cold warnings.

• Snow piled high, cars completely covered: Canadians capture record-breaking winter storm in Toronto
• Can you claim a street parking spot after shovelling the snow? Here's what to know about your rights (and your neighbours')

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